Woman arrested for allegedly taking funds from 99 year old Okaloosa woman

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Navarre woman after an investigation showed she allegedly defrauded a woman in her 90s out of over half a million dollars.

Investigators say Sheena Russell, 45, knew the now 99-year-old victim and her late husband for a few years. She served them as a waitress at a Fort Walton Beach restaurant and began to run errands for the victim after her husband died.

Deputies state they began to follow a complaint about Russell reported by the victim’s brother, but Russell claimed she and the victim had a joint business venture. However, the victim said she never gave Russell consent to withdraw or transfer money from her accounts.

Further into the investigation also allegedly reported that Russell used funds from the victim to help her pay off her own mortgage, buy a vehicle, and pay for trips to Walt Disney World, Pigeon Forge Tennessee, the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, Washington D.C., and a ski trip to Utah.

OCSO Investigator Mike Kruger says the funds stolen from the victim’s accounts were over $582,647.

Russell has been charged with theft over $100,000, organized scheme to defraud more than $50,000, and elderly exploitation.

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